Load lifting cradle



B. F. FITCH LOAD LIFTING CRADLE Filed June '7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l BMW July 9, 1935. B. F. FITCH 2,007,187

LOAD LIFTING CRADLE Filed June 7, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

July 9, 1935. FlTcH 2,007,187

LOAD LI FTING CRADLE Filed June '7, 1952 SSheets-Sheec 5 FIG. 7

July 9, 1935. B. F. FITCH LOAD LIFTING CRADLE Filed June 7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 1935. B. F. FITCH 2,007,187

LOAD LIFTING CRADLE FiledJune 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F1c.1z

FIG.14 FIG.13 3mm Patented ul e, 1935 PATENT OFFICE LOAD LIFTING; CRADLE- Benjamin F. Fitch, Greenwich, Conn, assignor to Motor Terminals Company, Wilmington, Del., a. corporation of Delaware Application June 7, 1932,.saiai1sac1a9oc '13 Claims. (01-. est-e7) This invention relates to apparatus for 'connecting a lifting mechanism to a demountablc' automobile body, which may be loaded with package freight. My invention provides a loadengaging means arranged to be connected with the body at four points, two on each side, and

adapted to be suspended in a horizontal posiso that they may swing beneath the hooks.

My invention provides means employing fluid pressure transmission readily operable from a single point for moving shackles as a unit so that when the cradle has been lowered and guided into proper position relative to-the hooks,

an immediate engagement may be made, one of the objects of the invention being to provide a.

simple, certain, and quickly operable means for j effectingengagement. h

Another object of 'the invention is to enable the cradle to engage bodies of different lengths,

and this is accomplished by a ready adjustment of the position of-the guidesand shackles for difierent size bodies-without interfering with the ready operation of the shackles.

Another feature of i the invention relates to means for attaching the cradle to a single supporting hook of a suitable crane. This com- 35 prises asystem of diagonal, articulated links connected to the cradle adjacent the shackles and terminating inloops adapted to be mounted onthe hoist hook, together with a platform on the cradle adapted to support an operator who. may conveniently place the loops on thehook. This. platform serves .also to .sustain the articulated links when the cradle is unattached.

My invention, ,comprisingthe means by which I accomplish the above results, or any of them,

finafter'more fully described.

"In the drawingsi I is illustrated in the drawings hereof and is here- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my cradlein position ready to belowered for attachment to a body, the idle position of the articulated links.

being. indicated in broken lines. i i Fig. 21s a side elevation of the cradle attached to be a demountable' automobilebody.

Fig. 3 is a plan of thecradle with the artic h.

55 lated links in, idle position resting on. a platform,

shackles. or loops pivotally mounted onthe'frame.

Fig; 4 is a vertical section through the shackle.- operating mechanism, as indicated by the line il. on Fig. I

Fig; 5 is. a'detai-l of the cradle frame and platform, being a. section on the line 5-5 on Fig. 3.. 5

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the cradle showing the shackle-operating mecha; nism, the planeof the section being indicated by the lines 6--6. on Fig. 3. I

Fig. '7 is a substantially horizontalsection ofthe cylinder and. plunger operating the shackle, as indicated by the. line '|'l on Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 isav side elevation of a. portion of my cradle-in a modified form arranged so that. the

position of. the shackles and guides maybe actjusted longitudinally. d

Fig. 9- is a verticalsection on Fig. 10 is a plan. of, another modification of the at mam. a

cradle, she-wing means for simultaneously adjusting the position of. the four shackles and guides.

The remaining figures are. in the nature ofdiagramsv illustrating. the use of the cradle, Figall showing it as attached, to a/demountable body on a, flat car, but with" the support nks. folded; v

Fig. l2 shows a portion. of suchequipment with thelinks in the position as first. engaged to the' raisinghook; Fig. 18 illustrating the cradle and bodyafterthelatter has been raised from the Ilatcar, and Fig. 14 as. it. is. beingdeposited on a support. Referring first to Figs. 2 and ll to. 14, inclusive, A indicates a. demountable automobile body which may rest on a flat car 13, or on a. truck frame indicated conventionally at C in Fig. 14.

.This body A is indicated as of such size that two bodies. may be readily mounted on an ordinary fiat car or one body on a suitable truck. The body is. provided with suitable floor] frame, side walls, end walls and a roof and doors, side doors. being. indicated a. Each side of the demountable body is. provided with two. upwardly extending straps a terminating in hooks a These hooks lie substantially in the .side plane of the container, and

are located a short distance above the eaves of the container and face in opposite directions,

triangular gussets l3. All of these parts may be readily connected by welding. Resting on the cross bars is a plate I 4, further rigidifying the cradle and forming a platform adapted to support an operator, when desired.

At each corner of the frame, I have shown diagonal plates resting on the side bars and end bars and secured to both of them by welding. Extending through these plates and through the two bars are inverted U-shaped bolts 2|, which are shown as having nuts on their under sides. On the under side of the cross bars is a member 22 recessed to engage the hooks a to guide the cradle into position. These guides have longitudinally extending portions 23 adapted to engage the inner face of the hook, and lateral portions 24 (shown in dotted lines on Fig. 6) to engage the back of the hook, so that the hook operates to cam the guide lengthwise or sidewise, as the case may be, to position the cradle definitely, as it comes to rest on the hooks.

The member 22 may have a flange at its upper end resting against the under sides of the bars, and the bolts 2| may pass through such flange. I prefer to weld the flange to the under sides of the frame bars; also, to weld the bolts and nuts to the flange after the parts are assembled. This makes a very rigid and firm anchorage for the upwardly extending loops to which the supporting and raising devices are secured.

The supporting connection to the loops comprises four' articulated hog rods, each consisting of a lower member 38 having an eye 3| passing through the loop 2| and an upper member 32- connected with the member by interlocking eyes 33 on the two members and connected at its upper end by eyes to a ring 35. There are two of these rings 35, each of which serves for the two hog rods on that side of the cradle.

When the cradle is idle, the articulated hog rods, with their common terminal rings 35, lie in horizontal position on the platform l4 substantially as shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines on Fig. 1. When the cradle is to be attached to a lifting hook, the cradle operator mounts the platform, and the crane "operator lowers the hook until it is in convenient position for the cradle operator standing on the platform. The cradle operator then picks up one of the rings 35 and raises the two upper sections of the jointed hog rods 32 and hooks them onto the crane hook.

Such crane hook is illustrated at D in the diagrams and in Fig. 1. The position of the hog rods, as they are being attached to the hook, is shown in Fig. 12.

The size of the demountable body is preferably as large as can be conveniently carried on a truck, ortwo of them on a flat car, and the length of the cradle is conveniently about three-fourths of that of the body, so as to enable it to carry shackles coacting with hooks set in the desired distance from the end of the body. This dimension requires the diagonal tension members leading to the single hoist hook to be of considerable length to give them a sufficient vertical component in use and prevent an undue buckling strain on the cradle, and then the cradle is supported by the single hook, such hook is a greater distance above the cradle than can be conveniently reached by a man standing on the cradle. However, by means of the articulated links, when the upper members thereof are in position shown in Fig. 12, the hoist hook is approximately breast high for a man standing on the platform, so that he can very readily mount the ring 35 on the hoist hook while the upper links are resting at their lower ends on the platform. Accordingly, though the articulated links have considerable weight, in order to provide the necessary strength, the construction enables one man to connect the cradle to the hook easily and speedily.

It will be noticed that when the articulated hog rods are lying on the platform, as shown in Fig. 3, they are out of the way and, if desired, the cradle may be transported on top of the container on a car or truck.

The supporting shackles 40 are pivotally carried by the side bars of the cradle at the fittings 20, these shackles being U-shaped members having eyes 4| at their upper ends embracing pins 42 extending horizontally through the fittings 20 and the embraced cradle bar I0, these pins being shown as held in position by cotter pins 43. This makes a very direct connection between the shackles and the articulated hog rods, so that the lifting stresses are directly transmitted from the body to the lifting rods.

To operate the various shackles 40 simultaneously from a single point, I provide the hydraulic mechanism illustrated particularly in Figs. 3 to 7, and which comprises essentially a cylinder and piston operated by a single manual lever, piping transmitting the fluid under pressure from such cylinder and piston to individual cylinders and pistons located at respective shackles and connected therewith. This construction will now be described. v

Mounted on a suitable plate It on the cradle frame is a housing carrying an oil chamber 5| and a cylinder 52 in communication with the oil chamber through a port 53. The oil chamber 5| may be supplied from time to time, if necessary, through the plug 58, which acts also as a vent for the chamber. On the end of the cylinder 52 is mounted a bonnet 54 from which several conduits 55 lead to the different shackle-operating cylinders. Within the cylinder 52 is a plunger normally held behind the port 53 by an internal compression spring 6|. This spring bears against a disc 62 resting against the inner face of the bonnet. There are passageways 63 through the disc normally closed by the head 54 of a check valve under the influence of a spring 65.

Now, if the plunger 63 is moved inwardly in the cylinder 52, this puts under pressure oil in the cylinder which came from the oil chamber through the openings 53, and will thus force oil under pressure through the conduits 55 to operate the shackle plungers. To move the plunger 60, I have provided a suitable manual lever 10 secured to a rock shaft II, which is journalled in the housing 50, and on this rock shaft, within the housing,.is a bent arm 12 resting against the outer end of the plunger 50. Accordingly, if the lever II! is drawn down, the arm 12 will shove the plunger inwardly.

The shackle operating mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7. I have there shown a bracket iii depending'from the cradle gusset plate I3. Pivotally connected to this bracket is a tubular fitting 8| with which communicates one of the pipes 55. The internal space 82 in this fitting constitutes a cylinder in which a piston 84 operates, this piston being connected with the shackle 4Q. referably, the member which is attached to the shackle is'a' rod 85 bifurcated at one end to embrace the shackle and having a reduced por tion 86, which is slidable within the plunger 84,

a suitable collar 8T on the rod resting the endof the plungerr 1 The inner end of the plunger 85; may carry a rubber disc, or other packing, 89-;making a tight connection with the cylinder wal1.,-- A tubular telescopingmember at? embracing the end of the cylinder lil and also: embracingthe rod 85' provides a dustprotection; 7

It results from the construction described that the hydraulic pressure transmitted through the pipe 555 acting on the plungers 84 will shovethem ahead and thus swing the shackles dd into diagonal' position, as illustrated in Fi sl, where they will clear the hooks. The action, however; is only in onedirectionjand the construction does not prevent the shackle being swung into this position manually or otherwise, as this'is' allowed by sliding" connection ofthe rod 85 and the bushing plunger 8 'the'ro'd simply withdrawingito some extentfrom the plunger.

against" The various shackles areprovidcd with-suitable the shackle and extending above its pivot and figures. 7

As a COHVGIliGiJl'JIl'lGdIlSf-GI' operating the man:- u'al' lever Hi, I provide a hand rope l5 secured to the lever and depending at the side of the cradle. This hand'ropeis formed with a knot it a slight distancebelow the lever, and this knot is adapted to be engaged beneath a keeper l? in the form of a hook lying in a horizontal planeand secured to adjacent longitudinal bar Ill of the cradle;-

With the shackle operating mechanism described, if the operator pulls down on the rope '35, he puts the oil in the cylinder 52 under pressure, which then puts under pressure oil in the various pipes'tfi leading to the four shackle cylinders and plungers, and this operates each plunger 84 to swing the four shackles into idle position, raising their cou'nterweights as shown in Fig. I. If desired, the shackles maybe retained in this position by merely hookingthe' rope l5 behind the keeper ill, the knot it preventing the risirng'oi the lever '18. P

then longitudinally as illustrated in various With the shackles retainedin the idle position,

either by the locked rope or by the-operator maintaining a tension on the rope, the cradle is lowered onto the body, being guided accurately by the'guid'es so that the shackles stand in front of the spacebelow the hook points, as shown in Fig, 14. Then the operator releases the rope l5, releasing thcpressure in the cylinder 52- and in the pipes .55, and immediately the counterweights d5 swing "the shacklesirito vertical position where they stand within the opening of the hooks a ,as shown in Fig. 6; Nowas soon as the hoist lifts the cradle, the shackles come into soon as the actuating pressure on the plunger 60 ceases, the check valve 64 seats and the pressure is retained in the pipes but when the actuating force/is released on the lever 10, the spring Bl reacting forces the plunger to idle position and thus the spring loses its force and the disk 62 ceases to 'b'emaintained tightly on its seat, and

hence the superior pressure beyond the check valve may force back the check valve head and the disk, the oil escaping around the edge of the disk into the cylinder 52. release of the shackles. V r To support the conduits 55 conveniently, and prevent injury thereto, I provide protecting pip- Ihis results in a quick ing which: forms a permanent part of the cradle,

and which'the conduits may be readily mount- S'ueh protective piping is shown in Figs. 3' and 5 at 9% adjacent one of the side bars l8, and

fitting I29, to which the lower member 3% of the articulated hog rod is securedby the loop Iii, is slidable on the side rod l 0, being held in selected position thereon by a pin Hill occupying any of a number of holes ml in the side bar. When this construction is employed, the shackle pin 52 'ex' tends through a bar H25 on the fitting, and the cylinder 82, instead of being pivoted to acradle bracket ill] asheretofore is nowpivoted to an ear I26 on the 'fitting, and the conduit 55 leading to the cylinder 82 is flexible.

The construction just described enables the shackle and its operating mechanism to be all self-containedon the fitting I20, which is adjustable on the cradle. This is a'val'uable feature whenitis desired to use the cradle for bodies oi different lengths. i

' In place of adjusting-each fitting I20 manually and looking it by the pin Hill, I may employ the I Such construction is I illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In these figures, the i construction of- Fig; 10, whereeach fitting 220,

carrying the shackle and operating mechanism, has rigid with ita nut 2 21' engaged by an operating sc'rew. I have shown four of these screws if-til leading from the respective fitting nuts along carries-an operating crank 214. By rotating this I crank, the four'screws are turned simultaneously,

and these screws are equipped with right or lei hand threads, as may be required to cause a simultaneousaction in the same direction of the two sh'ackles adjacent the same end of the cradle,

this direction being opposite that of the twosh'acklesat the other end; 7 Accordingly, the rotatic-n of the crank in one direction will-spread the four shackles, and the them toward eachpther.

Ieiaim: I LThe combination of adectan'gular frame adapted to be suspended, four fittings slidably V mounted thereon, two on each side, load engaging shackles pivoted to the respective fittings, individual pistons'and cylinders carried by the fittings and shackles to operate the latter, a master actuator on the frame, and conduits leading therefrom to the individual pistonsand cylinders,

2. In a load lifting device, the combination of a frame adapted to be suspended, four fittings movably mounted thereon adjacent the four corners of a rectangle, four shackles pivotally opposite rotation; draw mounted on the respective fittings, four indlvidual operating devices mounted on the fittings and coacting with the shackles, fluid pressure transmissionmechanism leading from a single actuator to said four operating devices, and means for holding the four fittings in different positions on the frame.

3. The combination of a rigid horizontal open rectangular frame adapted to be suspended, four fittings slidably mounted thereon, shackles pivoted to the respective fittings, means for simultaneously moving the two fittings on each side toward each other or from each other and means for simultaneously operating the four shackles.

4. The combination of a suspended horizontal frame, four shackles pivoted thereto at four corners of a rectangle and adapted to engage correspondingly located members on a demountable body, four fluid pressure mechanisms for operating the four shackles respectively, a device on the frame for manually causing fluid pressure, and means for conducting such pressure to the individual mechanisms.

5. In a load lifting device, the combination of a suspensible frame, four depending shackles carried thereby, two on each side, a guide associated with each shackle and adapted to coact with hooks on a demountable body to guide the frame into position where the shackles are adjacent the mouths of the hooks, four fluid motors connected to the respective shackles, and a conduit leading from a common actuator on the frame to the four motors, whereby they may be operated as a unit.

6. The combination of a suspended frame, four shackles pivoted thereto and adapted to engage two pairs of hooks located respectively on opposite sides of a demountable body, counterweights on said shackles tending to move them in one direction, four operating devices for swinging said shackles against the action of the counterweights, a master actuator on the frame for actuating the operating devices, and a cable operatively con? nected therewith and depending at the side of the frame and accessible at the side of the demountable body engaged by the shackles.

'7. The combination of a rectangular frame adapted to be suspended, four shackles pivotally carried thereby adjacent the four corners of the frame, individual cylinders carried by the frame adjacent the shackles, pistons in the individual cylinders connected to the shackles respectively, a master cylinder carried by the frame, conduits leading from the master cylinder to the individual cylinders, mechanism adapted to operate the piston of the master cylinder, said mechanism having a lever adjacent one side of the frame, a cable depending from said lever and adapted to move the lever to operate the piston of the master cylinder, and means adapted to return the lever.

8. The combination of a frame adapted to be suspended, depending shackles pivotally carried thereby, and positioned to engage spaced attaching devices on a demountable body to be lifted, an oil chamber carried by the frame, a master cylinder normally in communication with the oil chamber, a piston in the master cylinder adapted to shut off such communicataion and put the oil in the master cylinder under pressure, individual cylinders carried by the frame adjacent the shackles, pistons in the individual cylinders connected to the shackles respectively, conduits leading from the master cylinder to the individual cylinders, and mechanism adapted to operate the piston of the master cylinder.

9. The combination of a horizontal rectangular frame, means for suspending it, four load engaging members pivotally carried by the frame, two on each side, individual fluid pressure means for operating the load engaging members, a master fiuid pressure actuator carried by the frame, protecting pipes rigidly carried by the frame, and conduits leading from the actuator to the indi vidual fluid pressure means, said conduits being externally smaller than the bore of the pipes and located within said pipes.

10. The combination of a frame, comprising two spaced side bars and cross bars each-rigidly connected to both side bars, fittings thereon adapted to be located in various positions, shackles pivotally mounted on the fittings, operating devices therefor carried by the fittings, and a common actuator for the different operating devices.

11. The combination of a rectangular frame, load engaging shackles pivotally carried thereby, a platform on the frame, and articulated hog rods connected to the corners of the frame and adapted to lie idly on the platform or be attached to a hoist hook, the upper members of the hog rods having a length such that when held substantially upright with their lower ends resting on the platform, their upper ends will be at least as high as the waist of a man standing on the platform.

12. The combination of a frame adapted to be suspended, load-engaging shackles carried thereby, fluid pressure transmission mechanism for operating the shackles simultaneously from a single point, comprising a master pressure device and individual piston-and-cylinder couples in communication therewith, there being one couple for each shackle, and devices movably mounted on the frame and each supporting one shackle and its corresponding couple, whereby the location of the shackles on the frame may be changed without interfering with their fluid operating mechanism.

13. The combination of a rectangular frame adapted to be suspended, four fittings slid-ably mounted thereon, two on each side, load engaging shackles pivoted to the respective fittings, individual shackle-operating devices carried by the respective fittings, and a master actuator adapted to supply power simultaneously to said operating devices irrespective of the setting of the fittings.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH. 

